THE. SOVEREIGNTY OF W-HI.i. (re m SPECATOm.) The first thing which strikes the reader of the Mapleson Memoirs, just published, is the peculiar light in which that most experienced purchaser of " talent " regards the great artists of the operatic stage. He admires their special gift very cordially, having been once a socund tenor hiuteelf, before Providence condemned him, through a disease of the throat, to silence and money-making and he is quite willing to pet them, if only they will not charge so much. But he evidently con siders them children, and by no means good children either. Next to the salaries he had to pay them, salaries on which he descants with an unusinglv rueful pride, such as a pelican might exhibit when she had just fed her brood, the things he best remembers are the artists' whims. Certainly they are memnorable whims. With the exception of Mademoiselle 'titiens, who aplpear to havI born .,situally atie, Signora Girisi, anmid perhal,:s one ilher, every artist with ...

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THE YOUNG FOLKS. MY PLUCKY BOY TOM ; OR, SEARCHING FOR CURIOSITIES IN INDIA FOR MY SHOW. BY P. T. BAnwcx. CArrman XLV.-THE SunIrEsa-esA CnGatstn. Instead of being alarmed by the growl of the wild beast and the glare of his terrible eyes, Tom Bradford felt relieved. It instantly occurred to him that this was strong evidence, though not actual proof, that there was another entrance to the under ground passages. True the animal, whatever its nature, might have leaped across the ol.ning in front of the youth, or possibly he had reached his present position by passing around through the other fork of the tunnel; but it seemed more likely that he had entered at another point, andhad pausedon reaching the fathomloss abyss which yawned between him and the young explorer. Be that us it may, the beast was not dis posed to remain quiescent, now that he was brought face to face with what he must have looked upon as his legitimate prey. The threatening growl was repeated, and, though Tom could s...

WHAT IS LIFE WITHOUT LOVE? Magistrate: "Madam, your husband charges you with assault." Madam : "Yes, your honour ; I asked him if he would ever cease to love me, and he was so slow in answering that I hit him with a mop. I'm only a woman, your honour-(tears)-and a woman's life without love is a mere blight."

Savage Races. At a meeting of woring men at the drill-hall, Bath, on the evening of September 8, Sir John Lubbock spoke of the mental condition and ideas of savage races. He said our empire contained representatives of almost everyrace of men and every stage of human progress.. To understand their wants and ideas was not only an intellectual exercise, but a political pro blem of great natiosial importance. If we ofteri found it..far .frm easy to understand savages, they naturally had much greater difculty 'in understanding us. Our weapons, tools, animals; infact all our be longings, were at first a soire of great wonder. An Australian tribe, for. instance, when they first saw a wagon drawn by oxen, were much puzzled as to what the oxen could be. It after wards appeared that some thought they were spirits, because they had spears on their heads; while' others maintained that they were the wives of the white men, because they carried the burdens, which amongstAustraliansisthe special ...

A BUNDLE OF LOVE LETTERS. (Or. JAEB's a-GET.) This audacious piece of book-making frankly appeals to the numerous class of persons who desire to pry into matters which ought to have been kept secret. Mr. " J. T. Merydew " makes merry over the breach of confidence, the avarice, the s:ite, or the desire of notoriety, which has exposed the amiable weaknesses or the less ex cusable frailties of men great and famous. As a matter of course, his compilation, amidst a great mass of dull and tedious effusions not worthy of revival, contains many things that are plessant, some :unsing, and a few pathetic. Mr. "J. T. Meridew " takes credit so himself because he has not trans. formed the original text "in order to render it raore ,palatable to thie tlasle of the unscrn?ulous reader." Scrupulous Mr. J.T. Merydew.! But the reader who ankers after the kind of reading promised by these words will find little to satisfy his ignoble taste. It may be worth while to quote a few of the more noteworthy e...

THE; AUTHOR OF '-ROBERT ELSMERE." EWTOOK Pm7C). There is not much doubt that until within the last five or six months Mrs. Humphryl l ard was unknown, save to the few. Even so short a time ago as 1885 her name found no place among the " Women of the Day." It is quite as certain that during these five or six months not many English novelists have been so much talked about and discussed. With "Rolbert Elsmere," or perlhips, to be more exact, with Mr. Gladstone's review of it in the .i.atreath ('entfry, Mrs. Ward sprang into notoriety. To those who had Ln knowledge of her personally, her hook made it clear that she was one who not only knew her Oxford well, but was intimate with Oxford life and Oxford people and Oxford traditions. It was, therefore, no surprise to learn that before she became Mrs. Want she was a 'Miss Arnold, and that she is the gru?ddaughter of Dr. Arnold, of Rugby, the niece of Matthew Arnold. and the daughter of Thomas Arnold, the editor of many old books, the write...

THE PRESERVATIONQ OP FOOD. The perishable nature of all animal and regetable substances, says a writer in The Quern, together with the unavoidable irregu larity in their production, imposes upon us the necessity of storing up the superabundance of one time to meet the requirements of another, and it is of considerable interest to preserve these various alimentary substancts as nearly as possible in their orig?nal state, or at least in much condition that their nutritive properties may be retained as much as possible. It might be thought desirable that all aniual substances used for this purpose should be dressed as soon as life is destroyed. Bat this is not at all the ease; generally, the flesh is at such a time touigh and diicult to digest, owing to the rigidity which sets in as the muscles contract, whereas, if kept fora few days. according to the weather and climate, the fle-h becomes more tender. Much experience and attention to various cir -umstances are neces ry to determine e...

THlE GERMAN EMPEROR. [nY a Fsavomunc. A.n CON?f-IDA..] It is not often (says the Berlin correspondent of The Timaes) that an election speech in Germany has much interest for all English reader, but an address which has just been delivered to his constituents at Ascherleben by Count Douglas, a Prussian nobleman ,i cottishl descent. deserves some notice by reasln ,of the light which it throws upon the character of the EmpnIeror William II. Himself a favourite and conflida:Int of the young EmpIeror. Count Douglas has exceptional opportunities of study. ing his 3lajecty, and is, therefore. entitled to ibe accepted as af high authority on this theme. During his brief reign the Emperor, said Count Douglas, hid already displayed an energy aind a passion for work which made some of those about Ihim dread that he was overtaxing his strength; but this fear left out of account the calm and id temper with wc hch his Majesty laboured at the most im portant. affairs. He never grows imlnatient. or...

CRICKET. lurlingham v- Mentone.-To be played :this afteiioon -at :M[entone. The following are requested to meet at the North Briglton Station, not later tlian 2 o'clock::-C-llow (calpt),ICrdok, Float, Gard, Grundy, (2) Henderson, Huntly, Overton, Rice and Virtue, Emergency, Weber. Brighton v lawthorn-A two days match was commenced last Slturday at Brighton Beach. Thle Hawthorn w'ereo the'firstcto go to-the-wickets and were all disposed of for 33, of which L. ihtlherly made 13. Patterson 7 for 16, and Thompson 3 for 16 bowled well for the locals.* The- Brighton at cbll off' time liad iais '4 for72S.. ilio match will be continued this afternoon at 2.30, the detailed scores were Haw thorn 33.'Bri litbn':J' :'Dunn, b Biggs 23, Robinson, st. b Hatherly 16, Dunn, c b 11, Thompson, b Biggs 4, Cuddy, not out 11, Patterson, not out 4, byes, 3, 4 wickets for 72. Brighton v Melbourne second elevens played at WeslofColege, and resulted in a draw, the scores were:-Brighton 104 of, wihich Gifidt ...

CRUMBS SWEPT UP. The next sitting of the Federal Council will be held in Hobart, Tae mania. Nearl tlie 'wholeo of the buriness, part of Walballa was ,burnt;to. the ground last Saturday evening. Parlihment is to be prorogued o , ti =20ts ,.of ??ia nth. ;. a .-Lwentcytwomllion gallons of water were drawni from the Yan Yean mainns in i"elbourue and suburbs last Fri: day.. A salll .:fro iPicfedin the Vic-, torian otin atjthlie Exdhibition oi Satuiday aftertioon last. . A farmer has ?been murdered in Countsy XKrry ja. ithL result of an' agrariau outrage. The Protestants of Hungiary are very` much excited at present in consequence of the convention of.--the reformed churches havmingpassed-an order en joining clerical celibacy. A substantial reduction rwill be made in-tle water ijrate on? lst- Jan nary next. The Germnanianthorities have .de cided upon" tlin? g i;~mmediate steps towards.. greatly .. strengthening the A: match " trust?- or association of match mianufacturers; has been formed...

LADIES' COLUMN. AMEI1ICAN WOMEN WHO WRITE. Ehzabeth Stuart Phelps's nmoe will always be aodciated with the work that made her famous, "The Gates Ajar." She was born at Andover, Mass., August 31, S' 11, anl was the daughter of Professor Austin P'helps and Elizabeth Stuart Phelps. Her mother wsas a talented and popular authoress, anl-I at an early ageo Mliss Phelps followed in her fitlstcps. "The Gates Ajar," publishe.l in 1Sis. was followed by "BeyondtheGates." "'AsOtd t:Mid'sParadis?? and "Burglars in Paradise" provye interesting companion bools, anld ':Docter Zay' ." ".fhe? Silent Partner," and "- Ifed-ed In" established the Puritan authoress*'s rilht to the title of novelist. Among hier stones dledicatedl to the little folks, "The TLnetrv Bookt" and " Trotty's Wedding Tour and Story Book" are widely known. The versatile a ut h, oresshiasalso frequetly contributed to lsoding miagazines and wceklcs, and in this line of work has covered almost as wide a range of ceibjcts as in her ge...

CHELTENHAM POLICE COURT. Wednesday, December 5. Before Messrs Attenborough, W'ard, Ruse, Keys and Allen J's.P. STRAY CATTLE. &amp;nbsp; Messrs Bense, Saunders, Ferguson, Snell, Robinson and Millman for allow- ing their cattle to stray, were, on the information of Constable Glenny, In- spector for the Shire of Moorabbin, fined in sums ranging from 2s 6d to 5s, with 2s 6d costs each. The chairman of the bench, Mr Attenbororgh at the conclusion of the cases highly com- plimented the constable on the zeal and energy displayed by him in summonsing these offenders. DISPUTED DEBT CASES. Verdicts with costs were awarded as follows :--Jas. Smith, v. J. O'Neil £4 10s; Cowen v. C. Martyr £9 8s 7½d ; and Booth v. Carey, £11 10s. UNREGISTERIED DOG. Robert Smith for having in his &amp;nbsp; possession an unregistered dog, was fined 5s with 2s 6d costs, with an in- timation from the bench that if the dog was not registered within a reasonable time he might be again proceeded against. PETTY...

CRUMBS SWEPT UP. The salaries of State school teachers for the present month will.be paid before the Christmas holidays. . The Maori football team played the Lanranshiire country team on Satur day, and were defeated. A` soiious political crises has a:isen in Spain, and the Ministry, of which M. Sagasta was president, has r&amp; signed. Louisa Collins of the Botany poison ing cases has been sentenced to death. The jury in the Elmore murder case have been unable to agree to a verdict. A shocking boating fatality occurred in Hobson's Bay last Sunday by which five persons were drowned. Six hundred pounds have been gathered by the friends of the late Hon. A. T. Clark, with the object of endowing scholarship at the Mel bourne University, to be called the " Clark Scholarship." Several Socialist leaders have been arrested in Belgium. A miner named James Eccles was killed by the Adelaide express on Mon day evening. Henry Bishop for spilling nightsoil was on Monday fined £20, in default s...